How I Write Blogfest

I wanted to have this up earlier. Sorry. Ya know time and all that.  One of my blogging friends found the What's your process blogfest And I thought it was such a great idea that I decided to follow along. We all do things differently, but you never know when someone might throw something out there that makes everything come together. I've learned so much from my blogger/writer friends. And to me, anytime you help out a fellow writer or learn something for your own writing is time well spent. So here is how I write.

1. An idea pops into my head. No idea where it comes from but I'm instantly like a cat whose just spotted a faery wearing a glamour (after reading Wicked Lovely, I'm not so sure about cats and their erratic behavior anymore). When this happens I grab a notebook and I jot down the initial plot.

2. Then I research (I actually love this part. I know- masochist). I usually like to throw in some history or something factual into the mix. Then I search databases for the best possible names for my characters ( am I masking my geekedness well?) And ones that aren't being used too much. Nothing like having the name Addie locked in for your main character then find some agent threatening to hire a contractor to build gallows for the next person that queries her with the name Addie as their protagonist( this happened to me). No need to get violent. Say no more.

3. Then I Google everything imaginable that might fall under my story idea. Who wants to spend all that time and energy writing something only to discover that it's been done before. I nearly did this once. With so much talent out there and so many books its an easy thing to do. 

4. Then I think of a tentative title. I know, I know, this is weird but it helps me to focus. And I like watching how often the name will change. And sometimes, it even helps the story to evolve.

5. Then I write about five or six chapters to get the general flow of the story going. I go back and reread. Then I take off again. I have this need to get it all out from start to finish as quickly as possible.

6. Then I take a break and work on something else. I read as much as I can. It helps to stay grounded with your target audience. And because I'm like a cat. I have a lot of notebooks and too many docs on my computer to count. So moving on for brief periods is easily done.

7. Then when the story speaks to me and tells me its time (kidding, I don't really hear voices, at least not all the time). I go back and spend the rest of my life (it seems) revising and proofreading. But now the story is in need of a lot of repair. I moved too fast. And that's not something I truly love about my writing. I wish I could slow down and take more time the first time. Then maybe revisions would be easier. But then again, it's only through revisions that the story truly begins to come together for me. My story has changed so much from a year ago. It's nearly unrecognizable. And that's a good thing. I hope.

8. In between all of this I try to compose the perfect query letter which is hilarious to say the least. Which then turns into researching the what to dos and what not to do with a query letter. I usually alternate this research with glasses of wine (total crutch, hiccup) and visits to You've got to be kidding for a good laugh in between the tears.

9. I spend as much time as I can listening to teenagers talk, reading blogs, books, stalking agents and all that just to learn as much as possible.

10. And I write.


How do you do what you do?

BTW, I just received this award from my friend  Margo Kelly. And I would like to pass it on to Christina Lucas. She does so much on her blog to promote all of us and that is super...

All you have to do is link back to me and pass it on to one or more of your favorite people. That's it. But they must be- Electropositive. Enjoy!